Scottish Executive

Care of Elderly People

John Swinburne (Central Scotland) (SSCUP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many residents of private and voluntary sector care homes have funded their care by means of selling their homes in each year since 1997, broken down by local authority area.

Mr Tom McCabe: The information requested is not held centrally. However, numbers will have reduced since the introduction in July 2002 of free personal and nursing care, and new rules that allow residents to request a deferred payment agreement with their local authority, to avoid the need for their home to be sold in their lifetime.

Care of Elderly People

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that no elderly person residing in a Church of Scotland care home becomes homeless as result of the church’s current financial situation.

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether elderly people in Church of Scotland care homes that are closed will be required to move outside of their communities and away from support networks.

Mr Tom McCabe: We understand the Church of Scotland is considering the future of its care homes and no decision has yet been made on closures. Local authorities are required to ensure that appropriate care is provided for older people in their areas.

Care of Elderly People

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Church of Scotland regarding its financial situation.

Mr Tom McCabe: Scottish Executive and COSLA officials meet regularly with Church of Scotland representatives to discuss a wide range of issues. The last such meeting was on 27 May and another meeting will be held after the Church’s review of services for the elderly is published.

Community Care

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider any proposals to make statutory provision for the funding of approved day centres.

Mr Tom McCabe: It is for local authorities to decide on how they provide day care services for individuals, in consultation with the users of those services and their carers. While day care centres may be one form of appropriate provision, service users are entitled to choice and services tailored to their needs. Achieving this can result in a move away from the provision of fixed services in day care centres and it would therefore be a retrograde step to consider statutory provision for funding of a form of day care which may not be every user's choice.

Drug Misuse

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been allocated to tackling drug misuse for each of the last four years, broken down into (a) enforcement and (b) treatment.

Malcolm Chisholm: Expenditure on tackling drug misuse comes from a wide range of specific and mainstream programmes, which are administered at national and local levels. It is, therefore, extremely difficult to provide comprehensive and robust aggregate figures. In addition, definitions can vary of activities that could be included under the broad headings of enforcement and treatment.

  However, a study undertaken by the Executive's Policy Unit at the end of 1999 estimated that annual expenditure on activities linked to enforcement amounted to £65 million. The estimate for activities linked to treatment was £54 million per annum. These sums are based on expenditure from specific and mainstream programmes supported by, for example, police forces, NHS boards, local authorities and prison services.

  Subsequent to the Policy Unit Study, the Executive allocated an additional £128 million over three years to support delivery of Scotland's drugs strategy. The following table sets out the elements of this funding which are broadly comparable to the categories included in the Policy Unit Study:

  


Area of Spend 
  

2001-02
(£ million) 
  

2002-03
(£ million) 
  

2003-04
(£ million) 
  



Treatment (via NHS Boards) 
  

2.9 
  

5.3 
  

5.1 
  



Rehabilitation (via Local Authorities) 
  

6.8 
  

6.8 
  

6.8 
  



Prisons 
  

2.0 
  

4.0 
  

4.0 
  



Community Disposals (Including Drug Courts 
  etc) 
  

2.2 
  

4.5 
  

5.0 
  



Enforcement (SDEA, Police etc) 
  

1.9 
  

4.2 
  

6.7

Drug Misuse

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost to the economy of drug-related crime has been in each of the last four years.

Hugh Henry: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-33413 on 3 February 2003. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Enterprise

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many social enterprises were created in each year since 1999.

Ms Margaret Curran: The information requested is not held centrally, partly because there is no accepted definition of what is a "social enterprise".

Enterprise

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been provided by (a) each NHS board, (b) each local authority, (c) Communities Scotland, (d) each local enterprise company, (e) Scottish Natural Heritage, (f) the Scottish Arts Council, (g)  sportscotland and (h) the Unemployed Voluntary Action Fund to support the creation of social enterprises in each year since 1999.

Ms Margaret Curran: As part of the Executive's Social Economy Review, published in January 2003, a new funding stream of £2 million per annum is being provided over the next three years in order to develop the social economy. Information on this type of investment has not previously been collected.

Environmental Protection Act 1990

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it monitors the cleanliness of motorways to ensure compliance by operating companies with the standards laid down in the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the associated code of practice.

Nicol Stephen: The Performance Audit Group’s (PAG) field engineers regularly inspect motorways and record observations on litter, amongst other issues. PAG advises the operating companies and the Scottish Executive through an established reporting system when litter accumulations are observed which do not comply or are approaching non-compliance with the trunk road contract requirements, which incorporates the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the associated Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse.

  In addition PAG carries out detailed monthly monitoring of the condition of the network at pre-selected sites. This monitoring includes an assessment of litter accumulations relative to the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002

Scott Barrie (Dunfermline West) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 will come into force.

Tavish Scott: A timetable for the implementation of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 is set out in the Scottish ministers’ report to Parliament on implementation of the act which was laid in the Parliament on 28 May. The act will be brought fully into force in January 2005 with publication schemes prepared and approved by the Scottish Information Commissioner in line with the following timetable.

  


Date 


 




By 28 February 2004


The Scottish Ministers, the Scottish Parliament, The Scottish 
  Parliamentary Corporate Body, Non Ministerial Office Holders 
  in the Scottish Administration, Local Government and the 
  Police (public authorities as listed in Parts 1, 2, 3 and 
  6 of Schedule 1 to the Freedom of Information (Scotland) 
  Act 2002) to submit publication schemes for approval to 
  the Scottish Information Commissioner




By 1 June 2004


The publication schemes submitted by the public authorities 
  above to be approved by the Scottish Information Commissioner




By 31 May 2004


Public Authorities listed in Parts 4 (The National Health 
  Service) and 5 (Educational Institutions) of Schedule 1 
  to the Freedom of Information (Scotland ) Act 2002 to submit 
  publication schemes for approval by the Scottish Information 
  Commissioner 




By 1 September 2004


The publication schemes submitted by the above public authorities 
  to be approved by the Scottish Information Commissioner




By 31 August 2004


All public authorities listed in Part 7 of Schedule 1 to 
  the Freedom of Information Act 2002 to submit publication 
  schemes for approval by the Scottish Information Commissioner




By 30 November 2004


The publication schemes submitted by the above public authorities 
  to be approved by the Scottish Information Commissioner




1 January 2005


The right of access to information held by all public authorities 
  listed in Schedule 1 to the Freedom of Information (Scotland) 
  Act 2002 to be brought into force.

Health

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what analysis of the health profile of the residents of Fauldhouse, West Lothian it has undertaken, or intends to undertake, and whether it will publish the results of any such analysis.

Malcolm Chisholm: I understand that this question arises from concerns that landfill sites in the Fauldhouse area might adversely affect the health of the local communities. Research aimed specifically at identifying landfill-related public health effects has provided no compelling evidence that such a link exists.

  Additionally, in March 2003, the Information and Statistics Division (ISD) of the Common Services Agency responded to an enquiry from a research specialist at the Scottish Parliament’s Reference Centre on cancer incidence in this area. The ISD compared incidence rates for various cancers in Fauldhouse with those in Lothian and in the whole of Scotland and found no significant differences.

  Therefore, the Scottish Executive has no plans to extend the comprehensive health surveillance systems that currently operate in Scotland to provide a more detailed analysis for this specific locality.

Health

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children have been diagnosed with the group of conditions known as foetal anti-convulsant syndrome.

Malcolm Chisholm: This information is not held centrally.

Health

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what policy or guidance there is concerning the provision of educational and health support to children with foetal anti-convulsant syndrome.

Malcolm Chisholm: Foetal anti-convulsant syndrome describes the range of congenital abnormalities that can occur in children born to mothers taking anti-convulsant medication to control epilepsy during pregnancy. The syndrome is associated with a wide range of conditions and problems, including minor birth defects and physical and learning disabilities. The pattern of impairment also varies widely. Therefore, Executive policy on services for children with disabilities, or other needs for additional support for learning will apply to children affected by foetal anti-convulsant syndrome.

  These include our plans to introduce through legislation a new framework for meeting children's needs for additional support for learning, and our Integrated Strategy for the Early Years to improve the health and well-being of young children (aged 0 to five), recently published for consultation.

Health

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether approval by the Health Technology Board for Scotland for the use of photodynamic therapy (PDT) in the treatment of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is subject to the ruling on this matter by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) and, if so, what plans there are to ensure that an adequately funded clinical study is undertaken, so that PDT will be available to sufferers of wet AMD affected by the restriction imposed by NICE.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Health Technology Board for Scotland became a part of NHS Quality Improvement Scotland on 1 January 2003. NHS Quality Improvement Scotland works with experts to identify whether there are important differences in Scotland that may affect the suitability of NICE guidance for NHSScotland.

  When NICE publishes its final guidance on this subject, NHS Quality Improvement Scotland will issue the NICE guidance stating whether it is as valid for Scotland as for England and Wales. If important differences are identified between Scotland and England/Wales, NHS Quality Improvement Scotland will develop the NICE guidance.

  All NICE guidance has recommendations for further research, such as clinical trials, which need to be addressed by researchers and funding bodies.

Hepatitis

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to locate the medical records of haemophiliacs infected with hepatitis C and whether a public inquiry will be held into this matter.

Malcolm Chisholm: Patients who receive treatment from the NHS in Scotland have the clear right, for whatever reason, to ask NHS organisations for the medical records of their treatment. I recently took steps to make it clear that NHS Scotland must be as open and transparent as possible in responding to requests from patients. Of course this includes haemophiliacs infected with hepatitis C.

  I have previously stated that anyone who is having problems should contact the Health Department with details to allow officials to ascertain the position. I repeated this offer on 28 May and a departmental contact telephone number was given.

Higher Education

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what requirements there are for universities to maintain student records.

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what requirements there are for universities to maintain records of the length and type of course studied by their students.

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what requirements there are for universities to maintain records of the subjects studied in each year and of the number of hours studied per subject.

Mr Jim Wallace: There are no general requirements on higher education institutions (HEIs) to maintain student records. However, HEIs are required to hold a variety of records for a variety of purposes. For example, under the Universities (Scotland) Acts 1858-1966, the Universities of St Andrews, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh are required to enter the names of their graduates in a Register of Members of the General Council, on receipt of a fee, and to publish the list of General Council members.

Hospitals

Frances Curran (West of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the timetable is for reinstating consultant-led maternity services at the Vale of Leven Hospital.

Malcolm Chisholm: This is primarily a matter for NHS Argyll and Clyde who are coming to the end of the public consultation process on their review of local maternity services. The outcome of the review will be shaped by both this consultation and by relevant departmental guidance, including Implementing a Framework for Maternity Services , published in February 2001, and the report of the Expert Group on Acute Maternity Services, published on 18 December 2002.

  I understand the NHS board plan to meet in July to consider a report detailing the outcomes and recommendations of the consultation.

Hospitals

Frances Curran (West of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the decision was made to downgrade the accident and emergency services at the Vale of Leven Hospital; who was consulted on this downgrading, and whether local MSPs were informed and, if so, when.

Malcolm Chisholm: While this is primarily a matter for NHS Argyll and Clyde, I am aware that the NHS board decided to engage the contingency plans for surgical services at the Vale of Leven Hospital at its meeting on 12 May. I understand that this decision was not taken lightly and was necessary to preserve local access and clinical safety.

  I have been assured that the contingency plans were designed with the involvement of clinical and support staff at both the Vale of Leven and Royal Alexandra Hospitals, as well as local general practitioners.

  I understand that the chairman and chief executive of the NHS board briefed the local constituency MP and MSPs on the contingency plans from 7 May.

Hospitals

Frances Curran (West of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what public transport provision is in place to enable patients and families from the west Dunbartonshire area to travel to the maternity services at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley.

Malcolm Chisholm: This is primarily a matter for NHS Argyll and Clyde along with their local authority partners and local transport operators.

  I am aware that NHS Argyll and Clyde will soon complete the public consultation process on their review of maternity services. The Executive would expect that any options for service change that involved travel for local people would be examined in light of existing and proposed public transport links. I am assured that this is the case with NHS Argyll and Clyde’s work on local maternity services.

Housing

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to ensure that obligations for the maintenance of common ground are adequately highlighted prior to the sale of a property.

Ms Margaret Curran: Maintenance obligations relating to a property and any common ground in which it has a share are set out as title conditions in the relevant title deeds. These conditions form part of the agreement of sale of the property. Under current arrangements an agent acting on behalf of the purchaser will demand to have sight of deeds containing conditions of tenure as part of the process of concluding missives. This usually takes place after the purchaser has made an offer to buy the property.

  Solicitors and other purchasing agents should draw to the attention of their clients the obligations to which they will become subject when they purchase a house. Obligations for the maintenance of common ground should therefore be brought to the attention of a prospective purchaser prior to the conclusion of the sale of a property as part of the existing process of house purchase.

  The Housing Improvement Task Force which reported in March 2003 has recommended that sellers of residential properties should provide a "Purchaser’s Information Pack" when the property is put on the market. The pack would contain standard documents and information including a statement of the obligations attaching to a property. The intention behind the recommendation is that prospective purchasers should be informed of any common property obligations before they make an offer to purchase. The Executive is consulting on the recommendations of the Housing Improvement Task Force and will come to a view on what action it should take later in the year.

Housing

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what information housing developers are obliged to provide to potential buyers regarding the conditions, recommendations and considerations under which planning permission was granted and whether any action will be taken to ensure that such disclosure takes place.

Ms Margaret Curran: At present there are no obligations on developers to provide information to prospective purchasers on any planning conditions attached to the house. Houses are sold on the basis of caveat emptor, buyer beware. It is up to the buyer (with the assistance of their agent, usually a solicitor) to satisfy themselves as to the suitability of the property they are buying.

  Agents will at present ask to see copies of planning consents and building warrants relevant to work carried out on the property which is being offered for sale. They will also seek assurances that no further planning consents have been granted for the immediate area. Failure to do so may amount to professional negligence on the part of the agent.

  The Housing Improvement Task Force which reported in March 2003 has recommended that sellers of residential properties should provide a "Purchaser’s Information Pack" which would include standard documents and information for prospective purchasers. This would include copies of any planning, listed building and building regulations consents and approvals, or a building standards inspection report if the relevant consents cannot be provided. The Executive is consulting on the recommendations of the Housing Improvement Task Force and will come to a view on what action it should take later in the year.

Housing

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what information housing developers are obliged to provide to potential buyers regarding negotiations with local authorities and commitments made by the developer and the local authority for the on-going maintenance of common ground and the adoption of roads and whether any action will be taken to ensure that such matters are adequately highlighted to potential buyers.

Ms Margaret Curran: At present there is no legal obligation on developers to provide information to prospective purchasers on the arrangements for the maintenance of common ground and the adoption of roads. Houses are sold on the basis of caveat emptor, buyer beware. It is up to the buyer (with the assistance of their agent, usually a solicitor) to satisfy themselves as to the suitability of the property they are buying.

  The arrangements for the maintenance of common ground and obligations on owners are usually set out as title conditions in relevant title deeds which should be brought to the attention of prospective buyers by their agents before missives are concluded. In the case of roads, the title deeds will usually provide for their upkeep and maintenance until such time as the roads are adopted by the local authority if that is the intention. If there is no undertaking or intention that the roads should be adopted by the local authority then the purchaser’s agent should draw this to the attention of the prospective purchaser.

  The Housing Improvement Task Force, which reported in March 2003, raised a number of concerns about the sales contracts used by some developers. In particular, the task force noted evidence from the Law Society’s Conveyancing Committee that deeds of conditions including important conditions relating to common maintenance obligations are not always prepared at the point of conclusion of missives and there is a concern that purchasers do not have all the information that should be available to them at the point of purchase. The Executive is consulting on the recommendations of the Housing Improvement Task Force and will come to a view on what action it should take later in the year.

Housing

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the new housing repair grant system will come into operation.

Ms Margaret Curran: I intend that the new system will come into operation from 1 October 2003 subject to Parliament’s approval to the necessary regulations which are being laid shortly.

Housing

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what additional funding has been made available for the new housing repair grant system.

Ms Margaret Curran: As I announced on 7 November 2002, funding for improvement of housing conditions in the private sector is being transferred from local authorities’ general borrowing to a specific private sector housing grant. £50 million is available in the current financial year, and £60 million in each of the next two years. This compares to reported expenditure, funded through the single capital allocation by local authorities on equivalent activities of approximately £45 million in 2000-01, the last year for which figures are available. The majority of this expenditure is on housing improvement and repair grants.

Justice

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance is available for sheriff officers on the execution of their duties.

Hugh Henry: Rules of court provide that an individual may not be an officer of court unless he has satisfactorily completed a three-year period of training and has passed the specified examinations. In addition, the Society of Messengers-at-Arms and Sheriff Officers has a written code of professional ethics with which its members must comply. It also has a programme of Continuing Professional Development for its members.

  The Executive consulted extensively on diligence reform last year. This consultation included proposals for restructuring the oversight of standards of practice, training and continuing professional development programmes for sheriff officers. In this parliamentary year we will consult on and bring forward proposals for reform to the law on the enforcement of civil obligations in Scotland.

Ministerial Correspondence

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its performance in answering ministerial correspondence was in the first quarter of 2003.

Patricia Ferguson: In the answer given to question S1W-24583 on 28 March 2002, I undertook to continue to report quarterly on the numbers of letters received by ministers and our performance in answering them.

  In the quarter January to March 2003, 3,831 letters were received for ministerial reply of which 82% received a reply within 17 working days, slightly exceeding our published target of 80%; and 93% received a reply within 25 working days. This performance has improved against the targets compared to that in the fourth quarter of 2002 when 74% of letters received a reply within 17 working days and 91% received a reply within 25 working days.

NHS Funding

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received any further recommendations from Sir John Arbuthnott in relation to the distribution of NHS funds and, if so, whether it will give details of the recommendations and what the timescale will be for any ministerial decisions being taken in respect of this matter.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Standing Committee on Resource Allocation, chaired by Sir John Arbuthnott, has completed a piece of research on unmet need. This is currently being considered by officials and a ministerial decision on the implementation of that work will be taken in due course.

Planning

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is good practice to submit sensitive planning applications for ministerial decision during an election period.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: The timing of any submission of a planning application to the Scottish ministers is for the relevant local authority. Any submission during an election period would be handled in accordance with the election guidance for Scottish Executive staff. The guidance makes clear that ministers should only be invited to take decisions on issues during an election period where it is absolutely essential. Consequently, ministers were not asked to decide on any planning applications during April although officials continued to deal with certain routine cases under delegated authority.

Planning

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will make a decision on the future of Meggetland playing fields, Edinburgh.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: Planning permission for the residential and sporting developments at Meggetland playing fields was granted on 30 May.

Planning

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether  sportscotland, as a statutory consultee, has agreed to development of Meggetland playing fields, Edinburgh.

Mr Frank McAveety: Sportscotland withdrew their objections to the planning application for the development at Meggetland in 2001.

Post Office

Susan Deacon (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when details of the £1.5 million allocated to support post offices in deprived urban areas will be available.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-34750 on 19 March 2003. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

  Guidance and a summary of the fund are held by the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 27814), and can also be viewed at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/about/DD/H3/00014328/page1164695137.aspx.

Post Office

Susan Deacon (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has received from the Royal Mail Group plc or Her Majesty’s Government on how many post offices in Scotland have closed to date under the network reinvention programme and, of these, how many were in (a) rural, (b) urban and (c) deprived urban areas

Allan Wilson: Post offices, postal services and Royal Mail Group Plc are reserved matters. The Urban Network Reinvention Programme is operated by the Department of Trade and Industry and the Scottish Executive has no locus in that programme.

Post Office

Susan Deacon (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in increasing the provision of other services in post office premises, with a view to keeping local post offices open and contributing to the local community.

Allan Wilson: Post offices, postal services and Royal Mail Group Plc are reserved matters. Post Office Ltd is continually examining the opportunities to expand business and enhance the income streams of the post office network. The Scottish Executive’s £2 million fund to Develop Post Offices in Deprived Urban Areas was launched on 30 December 2002 and the Executive is currently participating in Post Office-led discussions about development of the rural network.

Prescription Charges

Mr Keith Raffan (Mid Scotland and Fife) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual cost of abolishing prescription charges would be to the NHS.

Malcolm Chisholm: The table lists the total revenue raised from prescription charges between 1999-2003 and provides an indication of what abolition would cost.

  


Year 
  

Total Value of Charges Collected*
(£ million) 
  



1999-2000 
  

42.9



2000-01 
  

43.1



2001-02 
  

45.8



2002-03 
  

46.3



  Note:

  *Includes income from prescription pre-payment certificates.

Prison Service

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in allowing prisoners night access to toilet facilities at HM Prison Peterhead.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  The SPS is currently considering whether such access can be safely and cost-effectively provided.

Prison Service

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what control and restraint training the Scottish Prison Service has provided to the operator of Dungavel House immigration removal centre.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  None. The centre provides services to the Home Office and is therefore a reserved matter.

Prison Service

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of prison inmates have been sentenced for drug-related offences in each of the last four years.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The available information is:

  Percentage of Sentenced Prisoners in Custody on 30 June in Each of the Last Four Years Where the Main Crime/Offence Related to Possession and Supply of Drugs.

  


Year 
  

1998 
  

1999 
  

2000 
  

2001 
  



Percentage 
  

15 
  

15 
  

15 
  

14

Prison Service

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of court cases related to drugs in each of the last four years.

Cathy Jamieson: The available data is given in the following table. The statistics for persons proceeded against for drug offences relate to instances where the main offence involved the illegal importation, cultivation, supply or possession of drugs. Other offences may be drug related, such as those committed to fund a drug habit, but these cannot be separately identified within the statistics held centrally.

  Persons Proceeded Against in Scottish Courts, 1998-2001

  


Year 
  

Total Number 
  

Number Where a Drugs Offence was Main Offence 
  

Percentage Where a Drugs Offence was Main 
  Offence 
  



1998 
  

159,232 
  

8,153 
  

5.1 
  



1999 
  

146,841 
  

7,689 
  

5.2 
  



2000 
  

137,026 
  

6,458 
  

4.7 
  



2001 
  

139,596 
  

6,716 
  

4.8

Public Sector

Bristow Muldoon (Livingston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to increase public sector employment as a proportion of the total employment market in West Lothian.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Executive is committed to achieving sustainable economic development based upon the strategic priorities contained in A Smart, Successful Scotland.  This includes raising the employment rate across Scotland and reducing gaps in unemployment rates between areas.

  The Executive is committed to the dispersal of public sector jobs through its relocation policy. Our policy covers all of Scotland and opportunities are considered on a case-by-case basis. Potential locations in West Lothian can be considered along with others from around the country.

Public Transport

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what form of local community consultation process is required to determine the frequency and location of bus services.

Nicol Stephen: There is no statutory requirement for local consultation to determine the frequency and location of bus services. The provision of local bus services is generally a matter for individual bus operators who use their own commercial judgement as to the level and frequency of services to be provided. Beyond the commercial decisions of bus operators, it is the responsibility of the local transport authority to identify where there is a social need for a particular bus service and to make subsidy available, if it so chooses, so that appropriate additional services are provided.

Public Transport

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been allocated to the construction of a tram system in Edinburgh; from which budget the money has been allocated; over what period the money will be available; what organisation will be responsible for the construction of the system, and how that organisation will be held publicly accountable.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive has allocated around £15 million from the Transport Budget to the City of Edinburgh Council (CEC) for the promotion of the necessary private bills which will allow the construction of the proposed Edinburgh tram lines. Iain Gray, former Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning, also confirmed the future availability of £375 million provided the council produce a robust final business case. This was announced on 3 March and would secure the completion of at least the first tram line.

  Transport Initiatives Edinburgh (TIE) which is delivering the project on behalf of CEC expect the necessary powers for the first two lines to be obtained by 2005 and have indicated that trams could be running by 2009.

Public Transport

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether sums spent by Transport Initiatives Edinburgh in respect of administration and running costs for development of transport systems in Edinburgh will be met from any funds allocated by the Executive to it and, if so, from what date any such costs will be met.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive part-funds City of Edinburgh Council to undertake the development of transport projects. The detailed funding arrangements between the council and Transport Initiatives Edinburgh are a matter for those bodies.

Rail Network

Mrs Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with New Edinburgh Ltd about the delay in the opening of the rail station at Edinburgh Park and what reasons have been given for the delay.

Nicol Stephen: The City of Edinburgh Council (CEC) is in the lead with the Edinburgh Park railway station project. The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with CEC on a wide range of issues, including the Edinburgh Park railway station project.

Rail Network

Mrs Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will conduct a review of how Network Rail, the Strategic Rail Authority, ScotRail and the City of Edinburgh Council have acted in respect of the construction of the rail station at Edinburgh Park.

Nicol Stephen: There are currently no plans for the Scottish Executive to carry out such a review.

Rail Network

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will explain and expand on the meaning of "re-opening", as used in the statements "re-opening the Kincardine - Alloa - Stirling rail link" and "re-opening the Airdrie to Bathgate railway" in A Partnership for a Better Scotland .

Nicol Stephen: The private bill promoting the re-opening of the Stirling to Alloa to Kincardine railway line was introduced to Parliament in March this year. Subject to its successful passage, the project could be authorised for construction by summer 2004, with a view to running services by winter 2005-06.

  For the proposed re-opening of the Airdrie to Bathgate line, the Scottish Executive has made available £500,000 to West Lothian Council in order to fund a detailed engineering study into the scheme. We expect to receive the study’s findings by spring 2004.

Rail Network

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will explain and expand on the meaning of "constructing", as used in the statement "constructing the Larkhall to Milngavie line" in A Partnership for a Better Scotland .

Nicol Stephen: In August 2001, the Scottish Executive announced approval in principal for the Larkhall/Milngavie rail link scheme and made available £16 million towards its construction costs. Strathclyde Passenger Transport (SPT) is the lead authority for the project and the Scottish Executive continues to support SPT as they take this project forward.

Regeneration

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding will be allocated to create urban regeneration companies as referred to in A Partnership for a Better Scotland .

Ms Margaret Curran: The urban regeneration company is a structure designed to enable a group of organisations to deliver a complex regeneration project that will support their individual and shared objectives. The organisations that jointly create the new company provide the resources necessary to fund the company and so the nature and source of investment will vary from project to project depending on its objectives and the organisations involved.

Retail Crime

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to support retailers who ask for proof of age from young people attempting to purchase alcohol or tobacco, given reports from the British Retail Consortium and the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers that retailers face an increased risk of vandalism and physical violence when doing so.

Mr Tom McCabe: The Executive supports a "no proof, no sale" policy in relation to age-restricted goods such as alcohol and tobacco and is clearly disturbed if shopkeepers acting responsibly to avoid illegal sales are intimidated in this way. We are keen to tackle retail crime and will continue to work with retailers, through, for example, the Scottish Business Crime Centre-led Safer City Centres, to identify approaches to reduce crime and violence in the business sector.

School Meals

Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to ensure that free school meals are available to the children of people claiming tax credits.

Euan Robson: A Scottish Executive bill to bring free school meal entitlement into line with changes to the UK benefits system was published on 29 May. Meantime, administrative arrangements are in place to ensure that no-one who would be entitled to free school meals under the new tax credit system is disadvantaged.

Schools

Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make new funds available to Falkirk Council for the construction of new buildings for Falkirk High School and other schools in the council's area.

Peter Peacock: Funds are made available to councils annually, through capital allocations and the Schools Fund for construction and other capital works involving school buildings. It is for Falkirk Council to decide on the precise use of these resources according to their assessment of local priorities.

  The Scottish Executive has also invited councils to bid for a share of revenue funding to support school capital projects under public private partnerships. Falkirk Council submitted a bid in December 2002 on which a decision has yet to be reached. Discussions are continuing with the council with a view to developing their proposals to a stage at which a decision on funding can be taken.

Scottish Water

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what efficiency targets were set for Scottish Water for 2002-03 and how its performance compared with these targets.

Ross Finnie: For 2002-03, Scottish Water were set an operating efficiency target within a range that extended from the level of performance achieved by the former water authorities to the target advised in the Water Industry Commissioner’s Strategic Review of Charges 2000-2002 . On capital efficiency, Scottish Water is required to meet the capital efficiency target set out in the Strategic Review of Charges 2000-2002 over the four-year period to 2006. Scottish Water’s performance for 2002-03 can only be determined once audited accounts are available.

Scottish Water

Mr Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will direct Scottish Water to review its harmonisation of business water rate charges, given the impact that such harmonisation has had on businesses in the Highlands and Islands.

Ross Finnie: The levels of charges set for each customer is, as specified by the Water Industry (Scotland) Act 2002, a matter for the Water Industry Commissioner and Scottish Water to agree. Each scheme must raise income by no more than the revenue cap specified by ministers and by 2006, charges must be harmonised for all business and household customers.

Scottish Water

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will support Dundee as the location for the Scottish Water customer management centre in line with its policy of dispersing civil service jobs.

Ross Finnie: The decision to locate the customer management centre at Fairmilehead, Edinburgh was an operational decision for Scottish Water. This decision is part of a much larger reorganisation which will see Scottish Water consolidating services in Aberdeen, Dundee, Glasgow, Inverness and Edinburgh.

Sex Offenders

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what assurances it can give, in particular to the communities of East Lothian, that the whereabouts of John Cronin will be monitored following his release.

Cathy Jamieson: The task of monitoring any individual who poses a threat to local communities is taken extremely seriously by the police and by other agencies which have a responsibility. The measures available to the police include, for example, applying to the sheriff court for a Sex Offender Order which would seek to place restrictions on the actions of the individual in question. While it would be a matter for the relevant chief constable to determine the measures to be taken in each individual case, Lothian and Borders Police has already given assurances that it will undertake a full assessment in respect of Mr Cronin, should he return to the East Lothian area.

Sex Offenders

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what additional resources will be given to Lothian and Borders Police in respect of efforts to monitor the movements of John Cronin.

Cathy Jamieson: Funding for the police in Scotland is at record levels and Lothian and Borders Police has substantial resources at its disposal. This year Lothian and Borders Joint Police Board set a budget of £159.8 million, an increase of £10.7 million over the budget set by the Joint Police Board for 2002-03. It is for the chief constable to make decisions on how the resources made available to him are used to meet local needs and priorities.

Social Work

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what concerns it has following the conclusions of the two reports on the "Miss X" case regarding the professional and personal practice and culture of the social work department of Scottish Borders Council and issues regarding the accountability of those involved.

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what concerns it has following the recommendation of the report by Ms Anne Black of 25 April 2003 that no disciplinary proceedings should take place in respect of Scottish Borders Council social work department following the "Miss X" case and what powers it has to intervene in the matter and request to see the report.

Euan Robson: The Executive has had sight of the three independent reports commissioned by Scottish Borders Council in respect of the "Miss X" case. The latest of these is the report written by Ms Anne Black, which was received by the Executive on 29 May 2003. I have asked the Chief Social Work Inspector to examine the documents and report back to me.

Speed Limits

Mike Pringle (Edinburgh South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what resources will be made available for local authorities to introduce 20 mph speed zones around schools and what consultation local authorities will carry out in respect of such zones.

Nicol Stephen: Local authorities receive a block allocation for a range of services, including transport. It is for each local authority to decide spending priorities on road safety, including the introduction of 20 mph speed limits around schools, based on local needs. The block allocation for this and the next two years includes additional funding of £180 million for local quality of life priorities. A number of councils are using part of their allocations from these quality of life funds on road safety measures. The Scottish Executive also provides resources to local authorities, currently £8 million per annum, for Cycling, Walking and Safer Streets projects. These resources, which are in addition to their block allocation, can be used for a range of measures including 20 mph speed limits around schools.

  Guidance on consultation about proposed 20 mph speed limits is contained in Scottish Executive Development Department Circular No.6/2001, copies of which are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 17781).

Student Loans

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive under what circumstances the student loan debt of a student would be written off.

Mr Jim Wallace: Under the mortgage-style student loan system introduced in 1990, loans are repaid over a fixed period of five or seven years and will be written off when the borrower reaches 60 years old (or 50 if they received their last loan before they were 40 and the loan has been outstanding for at least 25 years).

  Under the current Income Contingent Repayment scheme introduced in 1998-99, student loans are repayable at a fixed rate on the marginal income above the threshold of £10,000 and will be written off when the borrower is 65 years old.

  Under both systems the student loan debt will be written off if the borrower dies or receives a disability related benefit because he or she is permanently unable to work.

Student Loans

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many student loans debts have been written off and what the total cash value was of the deleted debt in each of the last five years.

Mr Jim Wallace: Figures are not available separately for years prior to 1999 and the figure given for that year includes some cases written off in previous years.

  I am advised by the Student Loans Company that the breakdown requested is as follows:

  


Financial Year 
  

Type of Loan 
  

Total Number of Loans Written Off 
  

Value Written Off 
  



1999 
  

Mortgage Style 
  

205 
  

£409,162 
  



Income Contingent 
  

0 
  

0 
  



Total 
  

205 
  

£409,162 
  



2000 
  

Mortgage Style 
  

97 
  

£209,661 
  



Income Contingent 
  

6 
  

£ 19,102 
  



Total 
  

103 
  

£228,762 
  



2001 
  

Mortgage Style 
  

187 
  

£247,415 
  



Income Contingent 
  

13 
  

£ 74,330 
  



Total 
  

200 
  

£321,745 
  



2002 
  

Mortgage Style 
  

261 
  

£497,624 
  



Income Contingent 
  

19 
  

£ 85,606 
  



Total 
  

280 
  

£583,231

Transport

Mike Pringle (Edinburgh South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what support it has given, and will give in the future, for the development of park and ride sites around Edinburgh.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive has supported a number of Park and Ride sites around Edinburgh.

  Among the projects supported are the completed Newcraighall Rail Park and Ride as part of the Crossrail PTF award; Ferrytoll Park and Ride expansion for which SESTRAN has been allocated over £8 million; Straiton Park and Ride which has been allocated over £2 million; Todhills Park and Ride which has been allocated £2 million, and Hermiston Park and Ride which has been allocated £1 million.

  We will continue to consider supporting future park and ride schemes on a case-by-case basis.

Waste Management

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-34753 by Ross Finnie on 27 March 2003, what the timescale is for increasing the fixed penalty fine for littering.

Ross Finnie: The Litter (Fixed Penalty) (Scotland) Order 2003, which will increase fixed penalty fines for littering from £25 to £50, was laid before Parliament on 5 June and will come into force on 1 July 2003.